


Sydney - A Dramione One-Shot

by nztina



Series: The Hogwarts 1999 Series [7]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 06:15:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24466312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nztina/pseuds/nztina
Summary: Christmas time at Hogwarts means Hermione and Draco are exchanging gifts, apparating to different continents and meeting people they haven't seen in a long time.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Series: The Hogwarts 1999 Series [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1751569
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46





	Sydney - A Dramione One-Shot

**Author's Note:**

> Christmas at Hogwarts...or not. Let me know if you like it! 
> 
> Enjoy xx
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Things were going smoothly. Ron kept his distance from both Hermione and Draco and time passed, uneventfully. The week before students left for their Christmas holidays, Hermione found herself looking forward to spending her holiday catching up on the reading she had missed out on last year. Walking down the corridor to the common room one afternoon, she realised that class was just ending in a few minutes and that Draco was teaching Potions nearby. She took a detour. 

——————————————————————————————————————

Draco looked up from his notes to see Hermione standing by the door, holding a stack of books in her arms. The second-years swivelled in their seats and started whispering amongst themselves.

“Hello, Miss. Granger.” Draco put his book down and smiled at her before looking at his students. “Why don’t you pack up and start heading out? No homework today.”

A chorus of grateful children sang, “Thank you, Professor Malfoy!” before throwing their things into satchels and running out the door, past Hermione. A few of the little girls were looking between the two older students with knowing eyes and Hermione tried to make it clear that she wasn’t here for anything untoward. 

“I found the book we were discussing and it was actually very interesting, you should take a look at this drawing of the — oh thank goodness, they're gone. That Bainbridge girl knows, I swear, she knows about us.” She dropped her books on the desk and watched as Draco cleared up his papers. He was trying not to smile. 

“I think that was a very good show you put on.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“That was actually a very good class.”

“No practical work today?”

He leaned against the desk and rubbed his eyes. 

“No, not today. They were misbehaving on Tuesday so theory work was their punishment for the rest of the week.”

“Merlin, you’re strict! I usually just dock five points and that’s the end of it.” She leaned into his arms and buried her nose into his collar. He was wearing that nice cologne again. It was her favourite. 

“That’s why they like me better.”

“Whatever, Professor Malfoy.”

“Hey, what are you doing for Christmas?”

“Staying here. Mum and Dad are still in Australia. After their memories were corrected, they decided to stay there for a few months so they could enjoy the summer. I’m going to visit them next month.”

“Mum’s in Paris, so I don’t think I’ll go home either.”

“So, we’re stuck together for the holiday, then?”

He kissed her forehead. 

“I could think of worse things.”

———————————————————————————————————————

Hermione woke up early and snuck out of bed so as not to wake Ginny. After freshening up in the bathroom, she walked into the common room. It was warm and the fire was already lit, the room empty apart from a blonde sitting in an armchair.

“Happy Christmas, Draco.” She sank down onto his lap, drawing her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. He removed the book that he was reading from between them and kissed her properly.

“Happy Christmas, Hermione.” 

They sat like that, listening to each other breathing for a few minutes before Draco pulled away from resting his cheek on her clavicle. Hermione brushed a hand through his silky hair. 

“What is it?”

“Don’t you want your present?”

“Do you want yours?”

They both _accio’d_ their presents for each other and the two parcels came zooming into the room, one after the other. Hermione held out the present wrapped in green paper.

“You first.”

Draco patiently opened the present without tearing any of the wrapping paper. Inside lay a book. He smiled. Great Expectations.

“I know you already have a copy at your home but I thought you might like one to keep with your things here.”

He opened it and looked up with wide eyes. 

“Granger, this is a first-edition. How on earth did you manage to get it?”

She smiled and looked down at her hands. 

“Actually I bought it for you a while ago. Before school started. I was in Paris, visiting a bookstore there that I like and I found it on display. I bargained with the owner of the store for half an hour before I could get the price down to an amount I could afford. Anyway, I didn’t even know if I could ever give it to you, but,” she kissed his cheek, “things worked out.”

“It’s beautiful, thank you.”

“The owner was a wizard and he restored it and charmed it to not fall apart. You can read it, and it won’t disintegrate.”

“What’s this?”

One of the front pages was open and the blank paper was suddenly covered with words. It was a charmed page, and the words would only show up if he was reading the book. Hermione tried not to blush as Draco read the inscription aloud.

“ _For Draco. "You have been in every line I have ever read." With all my love, Hermione.”_ He looked up, his eyes dark. 

“I mean it. I meant it when I read this story to you back then, and I mean it now.”

“I don’t know what to say.” His voice was ragged with unspoken emotion and he gently placed the book on the arm of the chair, before holding out the small parcel to her. Hermione tore away the silver paper to reveal a small green velvet box. She raised an eyebrow.

“Already at this stage, are we?”

They laughed but her heart was fluttering at the thought of Draco proposing to her and, unbeknownst to her, his heart was doing a similar trapeze in his chest. 

“Just open it, Granger.”

“Opening.”

Inside the jewellery box was a small pendant. Draco lifted it to reveal a fine silver chain, holding it at Hermione’s eye level.

“Turquoise.”

“It’s lovely.”

“I had it fashioned into a necklace but the stone was a part of a necklace worn by Cleopatra.”

“Shut your mouth. How?”

Hermione jerked upright from her position lying back against Draco’s chest. She swivelled on his lap to straddle his legs and snatched the necklace from his hand. Turning it over and over, she studied the little piece of history in her palms.

“Actually, you’ll laugh because I bought it for you ages ago.”

“Do tell.” Hermione’s voice was very far away. She had every intention of listening to Draco but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from her present. 

“I was in Germany after they decided I wasn’t a threat to wizarding society. As it happens, I have a great uncle who lives there and I decided to get away from Rita Skeeter and her bloody tabloid for a few months.”

“Awful cow.”

“Anyway, he took me to an antique store in Berlin and we found it there. As soon as we had confirmed the authenticity of the stone, your face flashed into my mind and I bought it there and then.”

“Why me?”

“Well, she was the Brightest Witch of Her Age, so I thought you would be in good company.”

Hermione stared at him, unblinking, for a few seconds.

“Cleopatra…was a _witch_?”

“Indeed.”

“Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she hugged him so deeply that his breathing constricted, “thank you, thank you. I love it. It’s perfect. Thank you.”

“Hermione? Malfoy?” 

They both leaned to the side of the armchair to see Neville standing there, rubbing his eyes. 

“Oh, hey, Neville. Happy Christmas.”

“Are you two — are you together?”

“No, Neville, this is a dream.” Draco muttered, earning an elbow to the ribs. Hermione glared at him.

“Neville, go back to sleep.”

“Oh, okay. Goodnight, then.”

“Goodnight, Neville.”

—————————————————————————————————————

Later that morning, Draco pulled Hermione into an empty corridor after breakfast and kissed her until her legs were weak and he had to hold her up by her waist. 

“What are you doing? People will see us!” 

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes. No. Yes. What do you mean?”

“Do you trust me?” He asked her the question again. She sighed and nodded. 

“Yes. Yes, of course, I trust you. What’s going on?”

“Close your eyes and hold on to me.”

“Wait, wha—,”

Before she could figure out what he was up to, Draco grabbed both her hands in his and they Disapparated. Seconds later, they were standing under the night sky and Hermione caught her breath, looking at the surroundings. It was night time, so they were in another part of the world, and there were people buzzing all around them. Focusing on the ground next to their feet, she was confused to see it moving and shining in the moonlight until she realised that it was water and this must be some sort of port or harbour. The last thing she discovered was that it was warm. There was no snow and she was already uncomfortably hot in her sweater and jeans.

“Where are we?”

“Sydney.”

“What?!”

“We’re in Sydney. That’s your second present.”

“Sydney, Australia?”

“No, Sir William Sidney. _Yes_ , Sydney, Australia.” He laughed as he pulled them to walk along the path. “We’re here to celebrate Christmas in a different way.”

“It’s beautiful here.”

“I know. We’re in Darling Harbour, and we’re going on a boat ride.”

They walked towards a ferry station and Draco nodded to the man at the counter. He let them pass through the gate and wished them a good night as they stepped onto the small ferry.

“You planned this.”

“I did. I was here last week sorting everything out.”

“What did you plan?”

“A trip around the Harbour. There’s a lovely view as you go around, and you can see the Harbour Bridge. It’s quite spectacular.”

“Why here?”

The boat was empty of passengers aside from them. Hermione took off her jumper and folded it neatly. The sun was setting as they took a seat on the open upper deck.

“Well, that’s the other part of your surprise.”

“Darling? Hermione?”

“Hermione, sweetheart?”

Hermione spun around, desperately looking for the people the voices belonged to. They were unmistakable. 

“Mum? Dad?”

Her parents were standing at the top of the stairs, holding onto each other with nervous grips. She stumbled away from Draco and towards them with tears already pouring out of her eyes. This was the first time she had seen them in person since sending them away. After the war, she wanted to go straight to Australia but the wizards and witches who had worked on her parents’ memories had told her to keep her distance for a little while until they were totally back to normal and capable of understanding what had happened. She could barely wait until the next month to visit them and suddenly, they were here. She was with them. They knew who she was.

As she was enveloped in her parents' arms, she collapsed with them to the floor of the boat. Their voices overlapped each other and Draco smiled as he watched the happy reunion.

“How are you here? Mum, are you okay? Dad, are you? Happy Christmas! How did they allow this? How are your memories?” Hermione chattered, feeling her parents arms around her and realising she wasn’t hallucinating.

“Are you okay, darling? Happy Christmas, my sweet girl. We’re so proud of you! You fought so bravely and we’ve been told how much you risked for the world. You’re in so much trouble for wiping our memories.” Her mother wept.

“You look so grown-up, my sweetheart. I can’t believe you sent us away for our safety. You shouldn’t have done that, we could have handled it. We’re the parents. You’re the child! Anyway, Happy Christmas. Isn’t it funny being in the summer while it’s Christmastime?” Her father brushed away her tears.

“But how are you here? You were in Melbourne, right? How is it possible for us to see you? How is it allowed?”

“Darling, Draco set it all up.” Her mother glanced up at Draco and smiled. Hermione spun around and gaped at him.

“You? You convinced the Ministry to let us come here?”

He put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. 

“Technically, we only have two hours before we have to go back, but it was nothing, really.”

“Oh, come now.” Hermione’s father stood and pulled his wife and daughter up with him. He clapped Draco on the back and pulled him in for a hug. “You did a great deal for us, son. We couldn’t be happier that you’re looking after our daughter.”

Draco was bright red and Hermione let go of her mother to clutch at his chest, her eyes wide. 

“I can’t believe you, Draco Malfoy. You’re wonderful.”

If her parents weren’t right there, he would have kissed her senseless but since they were, he settled on brushing her tears away with his thumbs and kissing her forehead. There was a small jolt under their feet and suddenly the ferry was pulling away from the port. 

“Wine, anyone?” Draco turned to conjure up a table set with a bottle of sparkling wine, cake and a cheese plate. They sat around the table and Hermione’s mother gave the toast. 

“To Hermione, our darling girl who is going to be in so much trouble when we get back to England, and to Draco, who brought us back together tonight. Thank you both for everything you have done. Cheers!”

They clinked glasses and spent the next hour and a half talking as the boat circled the harbour. Fireworks were going off into the night sky and everything was beautiful. Hermione looked over at Draco every once in a while and her breath caught. She didn’t know how this was possible, but it would have involved a lot of bribery. 

When the two hours were nearly up, they were standing on the mainland again. Hermione hugged her parents and promised them that she would come back the next month. Her mother reached into her purse and pulled out two small pouches. 

“We didn’t have a lot of time to pick out presents for you, but Draco told us about the ferry plan and we thought you both might like a little keepsake to remind you of tonight.”

Opening their presents, Draco and Hermione found identical tiny snow globes with the Sydney Harbour Bridge inside. 

“Oh, Mum. It’s lovely, but I — we didn’t get you anything.”

“On the contrary, darling. You’re here with us. That’s all we wanted, and Draco brought you here. You’re our greatest gift. Now, it’s time for you to go. We’re going to stay here for the rest of the week and do some sightseeing.”

“Are you staying nearby?”

“Draco insisted on putting us up at a beautiful hotel. It was too much, Draco.”

He shook his head. 

“Please, think nothing of it, Mrs Granger. Hermione, it’s time.”

Her mother pulled both Draco and Hermione into a tight hug and the three of them were encompassed by her father’s arms. 

“I’ll see you soon.” Hermione mumbled, trying not to cry again.

“ _We_ shall see you soon.” Draco corrected. Hermione looked up at him with shiny eyes. 

“He’s a keeper, darling.” Her mother whispered, not at all quietly. 

“More like a seeker.” Hermione corrected. They all laughed and said their goodbyes, and suddenly, Hermione and Draco were back in the corridor at Hogwarts and it was just after lunchtime. Hermione kept her hold on Draco’s sweater and reached up on her toes to kiss him.

“She’s right, Draco Malfoy. You really are a keeper.”

**Author's Note:**

> As a little end note, if I'm using the wrong tags or anything in my stories, let me know (kindly, please!) because I am relatively new to this and I'm not terribly sure of what tags I should/shouldn't use, or if I'm doing something incorrectly. I'll happily fix the tags if need be. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, as always. I appreciate you! xx


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